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Fans Reflect on End of Metrodome

Posted at: 11/16/2013 11:45 AM

Photo: Photo: KSTP

(KSTP) - Plenty of Minnesota moms, like Lynda Karver, have mixed emotions. She's in the stands watching her son Logan, a junior tackle for Chatfield High School, play in one of the last playoff football games at the Metrodome.

"I'll admit I got a little teary eyed when I, when I saw him on the field," she said. "This is where I came to watch the Vikings, and to me, this is the ultimate field in Minnesota."

The next two years, high school playoff football will be played at nearby TCF Bank Stadium, home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. That makes Karver think about players who may only make the playoffs those two years.

"They'll never have stepped foot in the Metrodome to play, and to me that's huge," she explained. "I don't know what they think but to me as a mother, that's huge to watch my son step out on the field."
It's sons for some and husbands for others. Arlyne Jacobson's other half coached Chatfield back in the mid 1990's when they won three straight championships.

As she put it, "we have, still have some shirts left over even that our children and then my grandchildren - a couple of them - still have their little shirts, 'grandpa's team's home is in the dome.'"

She says the dome will always hold a special place in her heart, but she is willing to give TCF a try.

"I guess if we make it here next year I'll still bundle up and we'll be here," she said. When it was pointed out that she'd actually be "there," Jacobson laughed "we'll be there! We'll be there! Yes."

High school football schedules are going to change a little bit the next couple of years too. Tentatively, the 2014 season - from summer practice through the Prep Bowl - really won't change much.

In 2015, the Prep Bowl will be played two weeks earlier to accommodate the Gopher's schedule. Instead of starting the season early to make up for those two weeks, only four teams will make the playoff instead of eight.

Then, if all goes to plan, everything's back to normal in 2016, with the playoffs taking place in the new Vikings stadium.